Deck for oil tanks



H. R. LELAND AND W. SCHWEIVILEIN.

DECK FOR OIL TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED IvIAY I0. I92I.

1A26y998, K I Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

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ll'lomund H. R. LELAND AND W. SCHVVENILEIN.

DECK FOR 0|L TANKS.

APPIICATION FILED MAY l0, 192|.

l ,426, 998. Patented Aug. 22 1922.

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application led May 10,

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, l-laninson- R. Ln- LANn and Wimmer Sonwninnnin, citizens of the United States, residing at Parkersburg, in the county of Wood andfState of West Vir inia, have invented certain newand useful provements in Decks for Uil Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to decks for oil tanks, and it comprises a .doating deck having a body 'portion adapted'to be arranged' on top of the body of oil within -a tank, an upwardlyextending rim secured thereto, a plurality of plates spaced from said ,rim and adapted'to engage the wall of the tank, links pivotally connected to said body ortion and said rim, the opposite ends of said links being secured to the ends of said plate, and means 'for retaining said pate in engagement with the wall of the tank. Y

In a copending application Serial No. ll68,058, led May 9,1921, we have disclosed and claimed a oating deck for oil tanks wherein the deck is arranged on top of a body of oil and is provided with spring pressed plates extending around the circumference of the deck adapted to normally contact with'the wall of the tank. .The present invention broadly relates to the subject matter disclosed in our copending application. ln the present invention, we' have provided a slightly diderent construction for securing the plates which contact with the wall of the tank to the deck, and means for retaining these plates ,in engagement with the wall or the deck. y

ln the construction disclosed inv our copending application, the contact plates are hinged directly to the body portion of the deck andare curved at their upper endsv to engage the topl of the rim. ln the present construction, t e plates are connected to the deck and rim at the lower and upper edges respectively of the plates by means of 'link connections which open and close to move the plates inwardly and outwardly: A. coil spring is secured to the links and is adapt ed to normally bold them in Aopen position to retain the plates in contact with the wall of the tank. When the plates pass over olestructions in the wall ol' the tank, the links are closed against the action of the spring and the plates move inwardly toward the center ci the tank. When the plates pass Specification of Letters Patent. Pmi-,@)mgc Auge 22, i922. 192i. serial in. essaie.

the obstruction, the springs return the links and plates to their normal position.

In the accompanying drawings, we have shown one embodiment of the invention. ln this showing:

Figure 1 is. a side elevation, parts being shown in section,

Figure 2 is a plan view,

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of a tank and deck,

Figure l is a detail View of one set of link s,

Figure 5 is a detail sectionalv view on line 5--5 of Figure 3, and,

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of a sliltly di'erent construction.

ierring to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates an oil tank provided with suitable filling means 2, and `discharge The doating deck comprises a base portion 7 which is of less diameter than the diameter of the tank. An upstanding rim 8 is arranged on the-bodyportion of the deck, the rim being provided withv a lower .flange 9 for the reception of suitable fastening means 10, passing through thebody portion to secure the riin in position. rlhe rim is further provided'witlian upper dange 1l. A. plurality of plates 12 are arranged around the ydeck the plates being spaced from the rim and arranged ina substantially vertical position. These plates are connccted at their upper and lower ends to the periphery of the body portion 7 and the flange 11, respectively, by'ineans of links 13 and 14C. As the construction of the two sets of links are identical, a description of one will siiice.A The inner member 13 is provided with a curled. edge l5, which is cut away at suitable intervals, as at 16. The out away fortions 16 are adapted to receive the cui-le edges 17 of. the brackets 18, se-

cured to the edge of the body portion and i to one of the links 13 of the upper or lower set and the op osite link 14 of the corre* spondin set. s shown, rods 2G and 27 respectivel are connected to the ends of the spring, the rod 26 being secured to the upper link 14 in any suitable manner, and the rod 27 to the lower link 13.

vlhe plates and links are arrangedentirel around the `circumference of the tank, the abutting edges of adjacent plates and sets of links being arranged in contact with each other. As shown in Figure 5 of the v drawings, a strip of gauze or wire fabric 28 is arranged at the meeting edges of the plates and theupper set et links. 'lhe gauze is adapted to extend over the slight space between the adjacent plates and links, and is secured to said plates and links by means of strips 29 of suitable material. rlhese strips are secured to the plates or links by suitable means, such as 4rivets 30. The rim of the deck, the links 13 and 14, and the plates 12 may be provided with aI lining 31 el fabric or other suitable material to retard circulation et air, gases and oil.

lnillligure 6 of the drawings, there is shown a construction wherein the upper links are continuous, but a pair of links 32 are arranged at each end of each plate 12.. These links are hinged to each other, as at 34, the outer link 32 being hinged to the plate, as at 3.5 and the inner link being inged to the deck rim, as at 36. ln this form et the invention, the fabric liningldoes not extend over the upper portion of the plate 12 'and the rim 3, but terminates at approximately the oil level in the tank, as indicated at 37. A filling 38 of gravel or other suitable material may be arranged in the lower links 13 and 14 and between the rim and the plate 12.

. lin operation, the deck raises and lowers with the oil level in the tank'and the plates 12 are normally maintained in engagement with the side wall Aby means of springs 25. 'lhe springs pull the links 13 and 14 toward each other, tending to move the plates outwardly. As oil is delivered to, or taken from the tank, causing the deck to be elevated or lowered, when the plates 12 come in contact with obstructions caused by overlapping joints, rivet heads or the like, the plates are moved inwardly against the tension of the spring, causing the upper and lower sets. of links to separate from each other. As soon as the obstruction in the wall has been passed, the spring returns the parts to normal position with the plate 12 I engaging the wall.l

he provision of a floating deck eliminates the necessity of an air or gas chamberl above the body of oil when the -tank is only partially lilled. This reduces evaporation,

as in prior constructions where a body of air is present in the tank above the oil level, and it further reduces the possibility of eXplosions due to confinementl of gases and vapors under relatively high pressure.

ofthe invention or the scope of the subjoined claims. y

Having thus described our inventiomwe claim:v

1. .1n an oil tank, a floating deck compris ing a body portion of less diameter than the diameter of the tank, an upwardly extending rim secured to the body portion, a series of plates contacting with the wall of 'the tank and spaced from said rim, means for pivotallly connecting opposite ends of said plates to said rim and said body portionto permit slight movement of said plates, and means for maintaining said plates in contact with said wall.

2. ln an oil tank, a floating deck comprising a body portion of less dlameter than the diameter of the tank, an upwardly extending rim secured thereto, a series of v plates contacting with the wall of the tank and spaced from said rim, the upper and'` lower edges of said plates being pivotally connected to said rim and said body portion respectively to ermit slight movement ot said plates, and,p a plurality of springs to normally maintain said with the wall of the tank.

3. ln an oil tank, a floating deck complates in contact prising a body portion of less diameter than the diameter of the tank, an upwardly extending rim secured thereto," a series of 4plates contacting with the wall of the tank and spaced from the rim, a set et links connecting the upper endsot said lates to said rim, a` set of links connecting t e lower end of said-'plates to the body portion, and

springs varranged between said links to normally maintain .said plates in engagement with the wall of the tank.

4. ln an oil tank, a floating deck comprising a body ortion of less diameter than the diameter o? the tank, an upwardly extendingl rim secured thereto, said rim being provided with a flange on its upper-end, a series of plates contacting with the wall of the tank, and spaced from said rim, links connecting the upper ends of said plates to said flange, links connecting the. lower mames ends of said plates to tbe body portion of the deck, and means for normally maintaining said plates in contact with the wall of the tank. v

5. ln an' oil tank, a oatingdeck comprising a body portion of less diameter than tbe diameter of the tank, an upwardly extiending rim secured thereto, said rim being provided with a flange on its'upper end, a series of plates contacting with the wall of the tank and spaced from said rim, links connecting the upper ends of said plates to said flange, links connecting the lower ends of said plates to the body portion of the deck, and springs arranged between said links to normally maintain said plates in engagement with the wall ot' the tank.

ln testimony wbeieof we affix our signatures in, resence of two Witnesses.

4HAR lSN RUSSELL LELAND. 'WllLLlAM SGHWEMLEIN. Witnesses:

1D'. ll.- Selinunte? HERBERT C. Posimwnm 

